Abstract

Two previously reported PCR-SSP variants of the HLA-B locus, B51GAC and B45v, were investigated by RT-PCR cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of their complete coding regions. They have been shown to correspond to the new alleles B*5108 and B*5002, both of which differ from the common B*5101 and B*5001 subtypes, respectively, by amino acid replacements at their α-2 domain α-helices. The primary structure of B*5002, intermediate between those of B*4501 and B*5001, raises further concern about the current classification of B*45 as a B12 rather than as a B*50 subtype.